It has been a fabulous summer for pool owners. With all of this hot weather, it is the ultimate luxury to be able to cool off after a long, hot day in a pool.
It makes all of us at Pool Craft very happy that our clients are getting so much use out of their pools, but we want to remind you of some common mistakes that some pool owners make so that you can make sure you aren’t following suit.
Enjoy your pool, but remember to protect your investment. Easy, short-term tasks are the solution to avoiding long-term and very expensive repairs, replacements and fixes.
So here they are, the most common mistakes that we see pool owners make:
“Hey, the water level looks pretty good.”
Maintaining proper water levels is essential to your pool’s health. Letting the level get too low puts added pressure on your pump and allows air to get in the pool’s circulatory system, resulting in water not flowing through properly. In some case, this can cause the pump to get damaged.
Your pool is more vulnerable to water loss due to evaporation and heat loss when temperatures are high and your cover is not on your pool, so check your water level often, maintain proper volumes and keep the cover on your pool when not in use.
Inconsistent Shocking
Ideally, you should be shocking your pool once a week to maintain the proper pH. Shocking should be done at night, away from the sunlight (sunlight decreases the effectiveness of the chlorine), and your pump should be run for at least 8 hours following the shock to ensure proper distribution of chemicals.
When preparing for the shock, dissolve the chemicals in a bucket before adding them to the pool so the granules don’t sit at the bottom and damage the pool liner or any material it touches.
Relying too much on a Robot Cleaner
Don’t get us wrong, the invention of the robot cleaner is amazing and definitely does a great job at cleaning most of the pool — but don’t forget there are areas where your robot cleaner just can’t reach or get to: the top of the stairs, behind the ladder and all the way up to the water line.
Do yourself (and your pool) a favour and put in the extra effort to clean the difficult areas, otherwise, these spaces will start to collect algae and your water quality will be compromised. Yuck!
Filters and Strain Buckets Don’t Get Cleaned
Pool owners should clean their filter and strain buckets regularly to ensure that the pump can work effectively and the pool functions well.
Glass Cups & Too Much Alcohol
The pool is definitely a hub for fun and most definitely a great backdrop for family barbecues, parties and picnics.
Although we all want to have a great time, remember with a pool also comes risks and responsibility, especially when alcohol is thrown in. If you or guests will be using your pool, drink responsibly and never alone and invest in a great set of plastic drink glasses and plates (broken glass and the pool just don’t mix). It is almost impossible to find a piece of glass in a pool and is very dangerous to those enjoying a dip.
Testing, Testing, 1,2,3
Testing your pool’s chemical levels are a must and cannot be done by a quick glance at your water. Pick one day a week and perform your water test at the same time each week, building a routine around it that is hard to skip.
Rainfall, body oils and more visitors than normal can all affect water quality. The longer the water quality is left unchecked, the longer and harder it will be to get them back to a safe and normal level.
Running Pump for Too Short of a Time
Talk to pool experts about how long you should be running your filter. By switching to a 2-speed energy-efficient modern model, you can save a lot of money.
You do not want to skimp on your pump or the time that you run it because so much about your pool’s health depends on it – shocking, the filter, heating, etc.
Get your Info from the Right Source
This is where we come in. At Pool Craft, we know pools; we have been in the business for more than four decades and want to share our expertise with you. Sure, your neighbour, father-in-law or co-worker has a quick-fix for your pool or a great story from when they had a pool, but why risk it?
If you have a question or want to know more about any of the mistakes we have mentioned here, call us at 905.884.2720; we are happy to answer any and all of your questions or come out to visit your pool.
